- The new Intercontinental Champion, The Miz, came out. During his entrance, they showed a clip of him beating Christian for the title on Raw. Miz called himself “the new face of the Intercontinental Championship.” He thanked Christian’s fans for voting him to defend his IC Title at Raw 1,000. Before Miz could fit in his catchphrase, Christian’s music hit and he entered the arena.

Christian mocked Miz’s catchphrase and said he’s invoking his rematch clause tonight. A referee slid into the ring from seemingly out of nowhere (good thing he was hanging out ringside!) to begin the match.

1 – THE MIZ vs. CHRISTIAN – INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Miz greeted Christian with a shoulder knock-down. Side head-lock by Christian, but Miz backed him in the corner and had to be restrained by the referee. Back-drop by Christian out of the corner, then he tossed Miz over the top rope. He landed on the apron and laid a shoulder into a charging Christian’s gut. Cole tried to push Miz as “a huge movie star.” Baseball slide by Christian took Miz off his feet on the outside. Back in, Miz got the better of Christian and hit his corner clothesline. Double axe-handle off the top for only two. Flapjack by Christian, but Miz wasn’t down for long. He back-dropped Christian to the outside as they went to break at 3:47.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:37 of the contest, with Miz still in control. Running boot for a two-count. Sunset flip by Christian for two. Back-breaker/neck-breaker combo for a near-fall. Christian got his feet up on a charge into the corner by Miz. Christian knocked Miz off the second rope and went for a frog splash but Miz got the knees up and got a two-count. Dropkick off the middle rope from Christian and both men were down at 9:52. Christian hit some of his pet maneuvers and then connected on a cross-body from the top for two. Christian notched a few more two-counts then hit an elbow off the second rope. Miz kicked Christian in the leg and hit a low DDT for two. Christian set up for the Spear, but Miz ducked out of the ring. He suckered Christian back in and booted him in the face. The men brawled and while the ref was trying to get out of the way, Miz slapped Christian in the face. Roll-up with a handful of tights for the win.

WINNER: Miz, at 13:26. Good match. So many near-falls. Wow.

- Tonight, Sheamus takes on Cody Rhodes.

- Also, a Fatal Four-Way Match to find the #1 Contender to the World Title.

[Commercial Break]

2 – JINDER MAHAL vs. RYBACK

Mahal went on offense with a knee to the gut and a few forearms. But Ryback hit a fall-away slam. Mahal, from the apron, raked the eyes of Ryback and kneed him in the head. Running knee to the head into a pin, but for only one. Mahal stayed aggressive with chokes and a lateral press. More knees, this time to the small of the back. Camel Clutch was applied, but Ryback just stood up and gave him the backpack stunner. Big spinebuster from Ryback. Mahal dodged a clothesline and exited up the ramp.

WINNER: Ryback, via count-out, at 2:43. Strange finish. Mahal had a lot of offense and Ryback didn’t even get the pinfall. Are they setting up Ryback’s first feud here?

- Up next, we’ll see how The Rock got Punked on Raw.

[Commercial Break]

- They showed all the press WWE got for their Raw 1,000 episode.

- The announcers (with Sonic cups in front of them) talked about Raw 1,000 and the WWE Championship match. Josh Mathews sent it to a video of what happened to end that match, as well as the aftermath.

- Back to the announcers, who plugged an explanation from C.M. Punk this coming Monday.

- Touts reacting to Punk’s actions were shown.

- Daniel Bryan was angrily staring off into space in the locker room. Sheamus walked up and asked him how he was doing. He had a gift with him. Bryan indicated he wasn’t done with A.J. and asked “who cares about Charlie Sheen?” Sheamus gave Bryan the gift, which was supposed to be for the wedding. It appeared to be a book that said “How to last more than 18 seconds” on the cover, with a picture of Sheamus Brogue Kicking Bryan at Wrestlemania.

[Commercial Break]

3 – SHEAMUS vs. CODY RHODES

A back elbow caught Rhodes in the nose, and he was none too pleased about it. He circled ringside trying to recover. Sheamus ran through Rhodes with a shoulder-block for two. The men exchanged arm-wringers, but it led to Sheamus connecting on a tilt-a-whirl back-breaker on Rhodes. Cody went to the apron and managed to avoid the vintage forearms across the chest. Sheamus instead grabbed Cody when he went back into the ring and delivered those blows from the apron. Rhodes shoved Sheamus into the ring post and Sheamus went tumbling to the floor. Sheamus returned to the ring at the count of nine. As Rhodes put the boots to Sheamus, Dolph Ziggler’s music played, and he came out accompanied by Vickie Guerrero. He had the briefcase with him. They went to break at 3:48 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

The show returned at 7:42 of the match. Ziggler was standing at ringside with his briefcase, looking like he was ready to jump into the ring to cash in his briefcase as soon as the match ends. Dropkick by Rhodes for two. Rhodes zoned in on the shoulder of Sheamus and showed some real aggression. Full nelson applied by Rhodes, but it didn’t last long as Sheamus flipped out of it. Sheamus made his comeback, but Rhodes kicked him in the leg. Big knee-lift from the Irishman, then a powerslam. Rhodes went to the top rope, but missed a moonsault. Irish Curse back-breaker for two at 11:17. Rhodes pushed Sheamus out of the ring through the middle rope. Back in Rhodes pulled Sheamus off the top rope and connected on the Disaster kick for two. Another one attempted, but Sheamus caught him and felled him with White Noise. Sheamus set up for the Brogue Kick. It connected wonderfully and Sheamus got the win.

WINNER: Sheamus, at 13:29. Great, hard-hitting affair. We haven’t heard much from Rhodes in recent weeks, so a soundbite from him before the match would’ve been a nice bonus.

After the match, Ziggler took off his shirt and appeared ready to cash in, but Sheamus was waiting for him. Ziggler hopped down off the apron and backed away. But Chris Jericho ran out, wearing a cutoff pink Ziggler t-shirt, and fed Ziggler to Sheamus, who Brogue Kicked the MITB briefcase holder. After Sheamus left, Jericho entered the ring to “Y2J” chants. He then gave Ziggler the Codebreaker.

- A graphic aired for the #1 Contender World Title Fatal Four-Way match.

[Commercial Break]

- The exterior of the Sprint Center in Kansas City was shown.

4 – ANTONIO CESARO vs. SANTINO MARELLA

No entrance for Cesaro and Aksana. Cesaro slapped Santino in the back of the head when he got Marella on the ground. Cesaro sucker-punched Santino and headbutted him in the chest. Gutwrench suplex where Cesaro just plucked Santino off the ground by the mid-section. Santino came back with a back suplex. Diving headbutt, then out came the Cobra. Aksana climbed on the apron and Santino threatened her with it. Hip-toss by Santino, but Cesaro picked Santino up and hot-shotted him. He ended Santino with his finisher.

WINNER: Cesaro, at 2:04. Looks like they may be setting up Cesaro vs. Marella for the title, so finally they’re doing something with Antonio.

- The announcers talked about the Touts that have come out about Raw. Mathews sent it to a video of Damien Sandow interrupting DX from Monday night.

- Outtasight was thanked for providing the official theme song to Raw 1,000, “Tonight is the night.”

5 – YOSHI TATSU vs. DAMIEN SANDOW

Tatsu was already in the ring. He was tossed outside by Sandow in the opening seconds, then tossed into the barricade. Sandow continually slammed Tatsu’s head into said barricade. Side Russian leg sweep found the mark. He dropped an elbow and then kneed Tatsu in the chest. That was followed by the neck-breaker finish.

WINNER: Sandow, at 1:19. I guess Sandow gets his heat back after what happened Monday night. He continues to impress.

Sandow got a mic after the match and bashed the fans for enjoying what happened to him at Raw 1,000. “I am your martyr” he said. “You’re welcome.”

Everybody took spills to the outside to start. Mysterio and Bryan had a segment in the ring while Kane and Del Rio traded slamming each other into the ring steps. Roll-up by Mysterio on Bryan for two. Mysterio went for the 619 but Del Rio cut him off with a clothesline. Kane got a chance to shine against everyone, including a suplex on Bryan and Mysterio at the same time. They cut to break at 2:57 of the contest.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:42 of the match with Del Rio pinning Kane for two. Bryan and Del Rio went at it, leading to Del Rio locking in the cross arm-breaker. Mysterio came off the top with a leg-drop to break it up. Kane and Mysterio were alone in the ring and Kane dominated. Mysterio tried a headscissors, but Kane caught him and he hung upside-down, wide open for a Del Rio dropkick. Backstabber on Kane for two, pin broken up by Bryan. Bryan peppered Del Rio with the “yes” kicks. He then locked in the Yes Lock. It was broken up and Del Rio worked over Kane for his finisher. Kane ended up chokeslamming Del Rio. Mysterio broke up the pin, however. Mysterio hit the 619 on both Bryan and Del Rio at the same time. Splash on Bryan, but Ricardo Rodriguez pulled Mysterio out on the pin. As per Fatal Four-Way rules apparently, Del Rio then stole the pin to become #1 contender.

WINNER: Del Rio, at 13:26.

Del Rio and Rodriguez celebrated in the ring as the show ended.

What do you think? If you saw this show, we invite you to send your thoughts. Send your name, hometown, a 0-10 score rating the quality of the show, your picks for best and worst segments, and then a brief paragraph of thoughts on the show that we can publish in the Reader Reax segment later tonight or tomorrow. Send to pwtorch@gmail.com.

Greg Parks has been covering WWE Smackdown for PWTorch.com since January of 2007. Follow him on Twitter @gregmparks for live Tweeting during Raw, Impact, and PPVs, as well as other bits of wisdom. Comments, questions and feedback are welcome, and can be sent to g_man9784@yahoo.com.

He hosted the weekly Pro Wrestling Focus radio show on KFAN in the early 1990s and hosted the Ultimate Insiders DVD series distributed in retail stories internationally in the mid-2000s including interviews filmed in Los Angeles with Vince Russo & Ed Ferrara and Matt & Jeff Hardy. He currently hosts the most listened to pro wrestling audio show in the world, (the PWTorch Livecast, top ranked in iTunes)

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